Pakistan rain updates: Latest news on monsoon in Karachi and around the country

A spokesperson of the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) has sought to assure power-outage-and-flood weary citizens that 1,500 of the body's workers are busy draining water from streets in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Clifton.

The spokesperson said that 146 small pumps and 18 heavy pumps are being used, besides 13 water suction bowsers.

Due to the sea level being high and Clifton and DHA being two areas which are close to the sea, drainage was not possible during heavy rains, according to the spokesperson.

The rain relays flowing from the southern part of Karachi cross the CBC areas and go into the sea, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Sindh Assembly member Shehzad Qureshi demanded an audit of both CBC and DHA.

K-Electric, in a late night update, has assured citizens that the power utility is hard at work to power up the remaining locations experiencing electricity outages.

"Since 7pm KE teams have powered up nearly all feeders in Korangi, Gulshan, Society, Johar, Bin Qasim and Surjani," it said.

According to KE, restoration efforts in the following DHA areas remain challenged:

- Bukhari Commercial
- 21st Street
- Khayaban-e-Rahat
- Khayaban-e-Sehar
- Nishat Commercial
- Ittehad Commericial
- Sehar Commercial
- Saba Avenue off Khayaban-e-Muhafiz
- Phase 4
- Khayaban-e-Ameer Khusro

It reiterated that stagnant sewage and rainwater is damaging power infrastructure and called for its drainage, adding that the Chief Minister Sindh has been informed of specific areas that are affected.

The Met Office has defended criticism of its forecast which many say failed to accurately portray the severity of monsoon rains that have hit the country this month.

"We had warned of rains in Karachi and interior Sindh three months prior," said the director general of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Mohammad Riaz.

Riaz said that all the provinces and the National Disaster Management Authority had been briefed well in advance of high intensity showers in Sindh in particular.

He said that currently, rains in India and occupied Kashmir may lead to flooding of rivers.

"In the first and second week of September, river flooding and more rains may occur," he added.

The Met predicted widespread rains in the upper parts of the country including Punjab, KPK, AJK, and GB, a statement from the department said.

"A strong rainy system is likely to approach in upper parts of the country that will produce widespread rain with heavy fall at a number of places in Punjab, upper KPK, GB/ AJK during Sunday evening to Tuesday," it said.

"Heavy falls may also likely in Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Khanewal, Zhob, and Barkhan," the Met added.

The rainwater remained accumulated in Karachi's Defence even after 48 hours, meanwhile, in several areas, there has been a power breakdown for more than two days.

The water is stagnant in Defence's Khayaban-e-Muhafiz, Khayaban-e-Qasim, Khayaban-e-Shujaat, among other areas.

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that the Sindh CM had directed KE and CBC to expedite restoration of electricity work and drainage of water from DHA areas. 

"Commissioner Karachi has been directed to provide all possible assistance to DHA," he added.

Met said that the sixth spell of monsoon rains will enter Karachi tomorrow evening and will remain in the city for 24 hours bringing heavy and moderate rains to some areas of the metropolis.

The Met said that the system has entered lower Sindh from the Bay of Bengal.